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Life Riverfield Lodge specialises in the treatment of mental health disorders and
addiction treatment for mental healthcare users requiring short term treatment within
a specialised facility. Life Riverfield Lodge (including 25 beds for mental healthcare
users) is situated in the Fourways area in a tranquil, peaceful setting on the banks
of the Jukskei River.

Our main purpose is to provide quality, holistic, integrated multi-disciplinary
rehabilitation, thereby enabling users to optimise their quality of life. We strive
to achieve this through professional and ethical management, quality nursing care,
modern and well-maintained facilities, and a close working relationship with the
specialists and general practitioners who place mental healthcare users in our care
as well as with the healthcare professionals who render support services.

Monitoring our users’ views on all aspects of our service keeps us up to date
with their needs and enables us to provide them with the best possible service at
all times.

Our mental healthcare services

Addiction treatment.

Treatment of general mental health disorders.

Dual diagnosis programme.

The following critical elements are included to ensure a scientific and successful programme:

24 hour specialised nursing care.

Aftercare programmes.

Electro-convulsive therapy (if indicated).

Individual assessment.

Individual, group and family therapy.

Milieu therapy.

Outpatient programmes.

Occupational therapy.

Treatment of concomitant medical and mental health conditions.

Our multi-disciplinary team consists of the following:

Consulting psychiatrists.

General practitioner.

Mental health nursing practitioners.

Occupational therapist.

Psychologists.

Facilities complementing our mental healthcare service

Semi-private wards with en-suite bathrooms.

24 hour security.

Consulting rooms.

Group therapy rooms.

Observation room.

Electro-convulsive therapy facility.

Occupational therapy facility.

Two lounge and recreation facilities with TV/DSTV.

Dining room.

Conference facility.

Swimming pool (outdoor).

Volley ball court.

Addiction treatment

This centre is dedicated to provide effective treatment to individuals whose functioning
in any life sphere has become impaired as a result of their abuse of; or dependency
of psycho-active substances, or as a result of any other addiction.

Our programme is a 14 day intervention aimed at breaking the cycle of addiction
through detoxifying the user whilst implementing an intensive cognitive therapy
group programme. Family members are also involved in this process.

Programme objectives

Primary objectives:

To interrupt the cycle of substance use and abuse and to foster maintenance of
abstinence.

To enhance the individual’s ability to function in a non-destructive and stable fashion, without being an undue burden to themselves, their family or society
 this includes: supporting oneself, meeting personal responsibilities and staying out of trouble.

To enable the individual to work and move towards meaningful goals  including stable, satisfying social relationships, and self-fulfillment through
activities such as work, school, hobbies, social and recreational interests.

To facilitate a sense of purpose and meaning.

To improve the integration between the individual and his environment.

To enable the individual to establish more appropriate and constructive social relationships and contacts.

To create a sense of responsibility, as well as a moral and ethical sense.

To recognise and uphold the basic rights, needs and values of other persons.

Secondary objectives:

To foster personal growth.

To improve the physical, psychological and social functioning of the individual who has become impaired through the abuse of chemical substances.

To provide support, guidance and education to the family and significant others.

To provide aftercare programmes, and to facilitate the user's readjustment to and reintegration into the community.

To promote the principles:

that substance dependence is a public health and social problem, and therefore a
public responsibility; as well as

that substance dependence can and should be treated.

Programme components

The programme consists of group, occupational and individual therapy as well as
medical treatment. All components of the programme focus on the improvement of the
user’s physical functioning, self-esteem, self-image, interpersonal relationships,
positive family interaction and vocational productivity. The user will also be
assisted to develop realistic life goals and a healthy lifestyle in the absence
of a substance or other addictive behaviour. The programme is divided into two modules,
which run over two weeks.

Mental health programme

This programme is focused on providing the best treatment possible to facilitate
the healing process for people suffering from mental health conditions. This 14 day
programme is based on cognitive-behavioural principles.

Programme objectives

The primary objective is to mobilise internal and external resources in the promotion,
restoration and maintenance of mental health, thereby helping the mental
healthcare user to reach
an optimal level of functioning as a whole person.

To relief the symptoms of a diagnosed mental illness.

To address the cause of the problem.

To empower the person to deal with the cause and disabling effects of his/her problem.

To address certain experiences in a person’s life which may precipitate the development of a mental health disorder,
for example:

an unhealthy lifestyle;

biochemical changes e.g. monoamines, in particular serotonin and nor-adrenaline which play an important role in the etiology of depression;

Programme modules

Admission phase
Admission to the mental healthcare unit is the first step
in treatment. Indicators for
admission to a mental healthcare facility are: the need for a diagnostic procedure, the risk of homicide or
suicide, a history of rapidly progressing symptoms and the rupture of the person’s
usual support systems, or when a person cannot cope with the demands of daily life
anymore, due to a diagnosed mental health condition.

Therapeutic module
The therapeutic module consists of a number of recognised treatment outputs provided
by different healthcare professionals. Principles of good clinical practice are
followed to ensure legal and ethical liability. Different therapeutic frameworks
may be utilised, for example: cognitive, post modern, occupational, narrative, psycho-analytical
etc.

Please also visit the dedicated facilities page for Life Riverfield Lodge listed under hospitals (name search) on the Life Healthcare website for more information.